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Adopting Planetary Health Diet ‘could cut food emissions in half’

Adopting the Planetary Health Diet could halve food-related greenhouse gas emissions and prevent up to 15 million premature deaths annually, says the EAT-Lancet Commission.

The Commission, which sets global dietary and production targets to meet environmental and social thresholds, published its latest assessment on 2 October. The report outlines a set of scientific benchmarks for food consumption and production that align with both planetary boundaries and social equity goals.

It warns that food systems are now the largest contributor to five out of nine planetary boundaries already transgressed: climate change, land system change, biodiversity loss, freshwater use, and nitrogen and phosphorus pollution.

Food systems alone could push global temperatures beyond 1.5°C, even if fossil fuel emissions are eliminated.

Johan Rockström, commission co-chair and director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, described the report as providing “the clearest guidance yet for feeding a growing population without breaching the safe operating space on Earth set by the planetary boundaries”.

He added that the findings “expose the stark winners and losers in today’s food systems, where entrenched power dynamics drive deep inequities”.

Planetary Health Diet: Modelling a shift in supply and demand

The Planetary Health Diet is a flexible dietary framework built around whole grains, vegetables, legumes, fruits, and nuts. It allows moderate intake of dairy, fish, and poultry, and recommends a sharp reduction in red meat, added sugars, and highly processed foods.

The dietary reference model is based on 2,400 kcal per day and includes:

• 210 g of whole grains;
• 300 g of vegetables;
• 200 g of fruit;
• 75 g of legumes;
• 50 g of nuts;
• 250 g of dairy;
• 30 g of poultry;
• 30 g of fish;
• 15 g of red meat;
• 30 g of added sugar; and
• Less than 2 g of sodium.

Achieving alignment with this diet globally would require significant changes in both retail assortments and agricultural outputs, according to the Commission.

Compared with 2020, production of fruits, vegetables, and nuts would need to rise by approximately 63%, while ruminant meat production would need to fall by one-third.

At the consumer level, the report identified widespread shortfalls in fruit, vegetable, nut, legume, and whole grain intake across all regions, alongside overconsumption of red meat and processed foods in higher-income countries.

Changing how food is produced

To meet environmental targets, the Commission called for the adoption of sustainable and ecological intensification practices. These include improving nutrient use efficiency, restoring biodiversity through habitat creation, reducing pesticide dependence, and capturing carbon in soils and biomass.

Transitioning to such systems would reduce nitrogen and phosphorus loading, mitigate freshwater overuse, and shrink the overall land footprint of agriculture.

Modelling suggests that without changes to production methods, the global food system would continue to exceed key ecological thresholds, even if diets are improved.

Conversely, integrating dietary change, better agricultural practices, and reduced food waste could substantially lower environmental impacts across all major indicators.

Equity, economics, and the role of industry

The report highlighted disparities in food consumption and production impacts.

The wealthiest 30% of the global population are responsible for more than 70% of food-related environmental pressures, while fewer than 1% of people live within the Commission’s defined “safe and just space”.

Nearly one-third of food system workers earn below a living wage.

“Too many people who grow and process our food are underpaid and excluded from basic protections,” said Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted, commission co-chair and director for nutrition, health, and food security at global research partnership CGIAR.

“Transformation must go beyond producing enough calories. It must guarantee the right to food, fair work, and a healthy environment for all.”

The Commission set out a framework for action that includes public and private sector investment, realigned subsidies, and reform of food environments. It emphasises the importance of redirecting financial incentives towards nutrient-dense crops and sustainable practices, while phasing out support for polluting or health-damaging production systems.

Rockström stated: “We now have robust global guardrails for food systems, and a reference point that policymakers, businesses, and citizens can act on together.

“The evidence is undeniable: transforming food systems is not only possible – it’s essential to securing a safe, just, and sustainable future for all.”

About EAT-Lancet

The 2025 EAT-Lancet Commission brings together over 40 scientists from multiple disciplines and regions. It expands on the 2019 Commission by incorporating new modelling tools, updated health data, and an analysis of food systems’ role in breaching all nine planetary boundaries.

For the first time, it has introduced science-based “food system boundaries” to define how much of the Earth’s safe operating space can be occupied by food production and consumption.

Its framework aligns with international agreements, including the Paris Agreement, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

It proposes a set of interlinked solutions across diet, production, waste reduction, and social equity, designed to support regional and national roadmaps for food system transformation.